Bar for skylights and similar constructions.



PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

J. LEPPLA.

BAR FOR SKYLIGHTS AND SIMILAR OONSTRUOTIONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24,1907.

INVENTQR.

WITNESSES.

JOHN LEPPLA, OF PITTSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BAR FOR SKYLIGHTS AND SIMILAR CONSTRUCTIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed May 24. 1907. Serial No. 375-477.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN LEPPLA, a resident of Pittsburg, in the countyof Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Bars for Skylights and Similar Constructions; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

This invention relates to roof structures adapted especially forskylights, greenhouses, hot beds and other structures having glass orother transparent roofs, and may also be adapted for' tile, slate orsimilar roofs.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive andconvenient means for supporting the glass, tile or other roofingmembers.

The invention comprises the construction and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings .Figure 1 is a perspective view of aportion of glass roof embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same partly in section; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 1;Fig. L is a cross section through the bar on the line 4- 1, Fig. 3; Fig.5 is a perspective view of one of the glass holding clips; Fig. 6 is asimilar view of the preferred form of key Fig. 7 is a cross sectionthrough a niodiiied form of bar, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of amodified clip.

The main members of my roof construction consist of bars 1 forsupporting the sheets 2 of glass, tile, slate or other roofing members.The bars 1 may be of any suitable construction but preferably will beformed of sheet metal bent to the shape shown in Fig. el, having thevertical web portion 3 formed of double thickness of the metal and theout turned flanges 4t forming seats or rests for the glass. Preferablythe flanges 1 will be inclined upwardly, as shown, to form gutters forthe drippings. Preferably also, the flanges 1 will be doubled by havingthe metal turned back on themselves, as shown in Fig. 1. If desired,however, this bar may be provided with a filling or strengthening.memher 7 placed between the two limbs of the vertical web and held .inplace by means of a clip or clips 8 fitting over flanges -l,, the latterin this case being of a single thickness, as shown in Fig. 7. Any otherorm of bar having the glass rests and the vertical web will answer mypiirpose equally well.

The glass panes or other roofing members are held in place by means ofsuitable clips 10 formed preferably from sheet metal having a seat 11for receiving the edge of the glass, this seat being formed by bending aportion 12 of the metal upon itself to form a groove into which the edgeof the glass projects, and having another portion 13 bent at ri htangles to the seat and projecting Vertically and adapted to lit againstthe side of the web 3 of the bar. These clips are formed as rights andlofts, one placed on either side of the web 3 of the bar as shown, so asto support the glass panes on each-side of the bar at their corners.These clips are secured to the bars by providing their verticalportions, as well as the bar, with holes 14, preferably triangular inshape, as shown, and driving through such aliningholes a suitable keymember 15 which may be of any suitable form, either round, square orotherwise, but which prefcra'bly is of angle form as shown, having itsapex 16 placed upwardly and its two limbs 17 projecting downwardly andbearing against the top member 12 forming the seat for the glass. Suchangle shaped keys are preferably formed of sheet metal and are thereforeyielding, this enabling the same to be slightly bent in on each sideafter being put in lace so as to hold them against accldentadisplacement and, furthermore, enabling them to adjust themselves to allconditions and to bear yieldingly upon the upper member 12 of the seatsand clamp the latter firmly against the edge of the glass. If desired,the two clips at the l we lower corners of a sheet may be in a singlepiece by continuing the groove portion from side to side of the sheet ofglass, making one long grooved bar 19 with verti; cally flanged ends, asshown in Fig. 8. This,

however requires more metal than making two short clips, such as shown,and will also cast shadows in a greenhouse.

The upper ends of the bars 1 are secured to the rib or web 20 of thecross members 21 by providing the web 20 with a hole, dividing the endof the bar 1, inserting one part 22 through the hole and turning it atright angles and soldering to the upper face of the web 20, and alsoturning the other art 23 at right angles and soldering it to the owerface of the web 20.

In the use of the device the edges of adj acent glass panes will overlaeach other, as shown in Fig. 3, and lower e ge of each sheet being heldat its corners by the clips secured to the bars in the manner shown.Consequently'the glass panes cannot become accidentally displaced eitherby sliding downwardly or flying upWardly. This result is secured by avery simple and cheap means, permitting the rapid erection of the roofand also nliaking it easy to replace a broken pane of ass..

b While the invention is designed primarily for skylights and roofs ofgreenhouses, it Will be obvious that the glass pane 2 can be replaced bya thin tile or a slate Without departing from the spirit of myinvention. No novelty is claimed in the bars 1 per se, the essentialfeature being the clips and the manner of connecting them to the bars.

What I claim is:

1. In a roof structure for skylights, greenhouses, etc., the combinationof a metallic bar having a seat for the glass or other roof member, andhaving a vertical Web projecting above said seat, a clip provided with aseat for receiving the edge of the glass or other roofing member andhaving a vertical portion lying adjacent to the vertical Web of the"bar, and a key member projecting through alining holes in the verticalWeb of I the bar and vertical part of the clip.

2. In a roof structure for greenhouses,

skylights, etc., the combination of a metallic bar having seats onopposite sides for the glass or other roof member and having a verticalWeb projecting above said seats, clips provided With seats for receivingthe edge of the glass or other roofing member, and having verticalportions lying respectively on opposite sides of the vertical Webs ofthe bar, and a key member projecting through alining holes of thevertical Web of the bar and in the vertical portions of the clips onopposite sides of said Web and securing said parts together.

3. In a roof structure for skylights, greenhouses, etc. the combinationof a metallic bar having a seat for the glass or other roofing memberand having a vertical web projecting above said seat, a clip providedwith j a seat for receiving the edge of the glass or other roofingmember and having a vertical portion lying adjacent to the vertical Webof the bar, and a yielding key member projecting through alining holesin the Web of the bar and the vertical portion of the clip.

4. In a roof structure for skylights, greenhouses, etc., the combinationof a metallic bar having a seat for the glass or other roofing memberand having a vertical Web pro jecting above said seat, a clip providedWitha seat for receiving the edge of the glass or other roofing memberand having a vertical portion lying adjacent to the vertical Web of thebar, and a key member formed of resilient metal and angular in crosssection and projecting through alining holes in the Web bar and thevertical portion of the clip.

5. In a roof structure for skylights, greenhouses, etc., the combinationof a metallic bar having a seat for the glass or other roofing member,and having a vertical Web projecting above said seat, of a sheet metalclip having portions bent substantially parallel to form a groove toreceive the edge of the sheet and having a vertical portion lyingadjacent to the vertical Web of the bar, and a yielding and resilientkey member projecting through alining holes in the Web of the bar andthe vertical portion of the clip and bearing upon one of the parallelmembers forming the groove for the glass.

6. In a roof structure for skylights, greenhouses, etc., the combinationof a metallic bar having a seat for the glass or other roofing memberand having a vertical Web projecting above said seat, a sheet metal cliphaving portions bent substantially parallel to form a groove to fit overthe edge of the glass and having a vertical portion lying adjacent tothe Web of the bar, and a key member formed of resilient metal and beingangular in form and projecting through alining holes in the Web of thebar and the vertical portion of the clip and having its legs bearingupon the top member forming the seat for the glass.

7. In a roof structure for skylights, greenhouses, etc, a cross memberhaving a verti cal Web provided With an opening, a bar formed of sheetmetal bent on itself and divided at the end, one limb extending throughthe hole in the cross member, and both limbs bent at right angles and inopposite directions, and secured respectively to theopposite faces ofthe Web of the cross member.

In testimony whereof, I the said JOHN LEPPLA have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN LEPPLA.

